Save with rational, not rationed, health care

Robert Yentzer has made a common but fundamental error in his commentary, "The deficit control policy Democrats and Republicans can both love" (Jan. 29).

Regarding Social Security, seniors must spend a considerably larger proportion of their income on health care than the general population. And health care costs are rising much faster than the general cost of living. Any policy that cuts the very meager Social Security distribution to seniors, such as the "chained CPI," would be a devastating blow to seniors' quality of life.

The health care policies of the 17 other highly industrialized nations generally deliver better results at far less cost. If the United States adopted a health care model similar to those plans, we would be running large budget surpluses far into the future.